Pneumatic-valve mechanism.



No. 883,065. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908A. T VRANA 6a B SGHIBA `PNEUMATICIVALVE MECHA'NISM. APPLIQATION FILED JAN. a1. 1901;

N VEN 70H3 f r l. a

W/ TNE SSE S UNITED srnrns PATENT onirica.

THODORE VRANA AND RETISLAV SCHIBA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; SAID VRANAASSIGNORTO JOSEF BENZ, OF NEW 'YORK N. Y."

PNEUMATIC-VALVE MECHANISM.

Specication 'of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 190e.

Application'iiieannuny 31,1907. sesam. 355,020.

Valve Mechanism, of Whichthe following lis a4r full, clear, and lexactdescription.

. The invention relates to automatic piano layers and similarinstruments, and its ob- -)ect isto provide a new and improved pneumaticvalve mechanism, which 1s sim le and durable in construction and arrangesure a quick response of the pneumatic'and consequently of the pianoaction, torender the valve mechanism noiseless'and to allow convenientaccess tothe interior parts for f making repairs whenever necessary.

The invention consists ofnovel features and parts and 'combinations ofthe same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then ointedout 1n the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention isy represented inftheaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, -in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corres onding parts in both theviews;

ligure 1 1s a cross sectionof the-improvement; and Fig. 2 is atransverse section ofl the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

' The valve chest A of 'the pneumatic valve mechanism is provided with asuction charnber B connected with .a main suction chamber C, forcontinually 'drawing air out of the suction chamber B. Directly belowthe suc tion chamber B is arranged a diaphragm chamber .D having its toclosed by a diaphragm E forming part o the bottom of the suction chamberB. From the diaphragm chamberD leads a port F to a-channel F connectedby a nipple G with a tube G connected with an opening in thetracker'board, so that when the note sheet brings one of its aperturesin register with the tracker board opening, then air passes `through thetube G into the dia hragm chamber D, to cause the diaphragm to -moveupward owin to the suction within the suction chamber The channel Falsolleads to a minute port F2, opening' into the suction'chamberB, to

l drive air out of the channel F and tube G, t0

allow a .quick return ofthe diaphragm E. Directly above the suctionchamber B is arranged a valve ch'amber H, from which leads to in- Vand Psecured to the valve seats N an lmade of metal.

a channel H into a neumatic I by Wa of the fixed vmember I t ereof, andWhic fixed valve chest A. The movable member I2 of the pneumatic I isyconnected with a rod J guided in a guide-Way A formed on the valvechest A, and on the said 4rod J is secured or formed a button J enga ingthe rocker K of a iano action, so vthat W en the pneumatic I co lapses,the rod J imparts aswinging mo'- tion to the rocker K, so as to causethe hamrvmer of the piano action tostrike and sound` the correspondingstring.

member is secured to the under side of the* Within the valve chamber His arranged a.

double valve L'having spherical valve faces L', L2 of leather or like'soft materiahand adapted'to'bejseated on the valve seats' N and Osecured on the'bottom and top of the valve chamber \H, vres actively,the valve seat N serving to esta lishcommunication between the suctionchamber B- and ,'the

,valve chamber and conse uently with the 'ward, as previously explained,then t e valve L is lifted and conse u'ently thevalve face L moves oiithe seat l While the valve face L2 moves onto the seat O, thus connect--ing the chambers B and H with each other and closing the vvalve chamberI-I to the a'tinosphere. The v alvestem L3 of the valve L is mounted toslide in suitable bearin s respectively, and which latter are preferablyIn order to obtain .convenient access to the interior parts of the valvemechanism, the valve chest A is .preferably made in two sections A2 andA3, hin ed together by a hinge A made' of canvas, eather or likematerial, the free ends ofthe sections A2, A3 being nor.- mally fastenedtogether lbya cover plate A5 secured to thel sections A2,'A3 by suitablescrews A6 or like fastening devices.

yAs shown in the drawings, the chambers lower sectionl A3 while thechamber H is formed in thcupper section A2, and the channel H extendsthrough both sections, as 1n- YB, D and the channel F are formed in thepurposes. i

It is understood that the valve seats O, N,

the valve L and the diaphragm E are in axial.

vertical alinement, and when air passes from the tracker board b way ofthe tube G and .pipe F to the diap ragm chamber D, then It will also bethe diaphragm E 1 s caused to move upward owingI to thesuction in thesuction chamber B. ow when the dia hragm E moves upward it liftsthevalve IL, so that the valve chamberl H is closed to the atmosphere bythe valve `surface L seatin on the seat O, and communication is est) berH owi to the valve surface L moving off the seat (see Fig. 2). When thistakes lace the airis drawn out of the pneumatic I y wa of thechannel H',chamber H and seat opening'into the |suction chamber B,

'and consequently the pneumatic I collapses and the plano action'1s.actuated, as above explaine l As soon as the tracker boardopening isclosed by the note'sheet and 'some of the air is sucked out ofthechamber D by way of the port F?, channel F andport F, then the diaphragmEimmediately moves downward to 1t s `normal position,` thus allowing thevalve i L to drop, thus closing the valve seat N and anger of lea ingparts.- It will also be noticed that by A ope matic the valve seat O sotthat the pneureceives atmos heric air by way of the seat O, chamberPfand channel H', to allow the pneumatic I to expand. When this takesplace the rod J moves downward and consequently the piano action returnsto its normal position ofrest.

, From the foregoin it-will be seen that the diaphra m E and t e valve Lare Aq uickly actuate ,and consequently a very qulck re'- s onse of theIpneumatic I is had and without age of air at any of the workhaving thevalve faces L L made of leather or the like, andin spherical sha e, anoiseless opening and closlng of the va ve L takes place, especially asthe air in rushing through the valve seats N and O at the point ofclosing or opening of the valve L does not strike any sharp edges on thespherical valve faces L,'L, and hence no hissing sounds are producedlHaving thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent: v

1. A pneumatic valve mechanism for self playingl instruments, com risinga valve chest. 'aving a suction c amber, a diaphragm chamber having aport in its bottom,

lished between" the suction chamber B and the valve chamhaving its stemengagin a diaphragm between the said suction chamber and the saiddiaphragm chamber, a channel below the diaphra m chamber and into whichopens the port t ereof, the channel being in connection with a trackerboard, a minute connection between the said suction chamber and the saidchannel, a valve chamber connected with the said suction chamber and theatmosphere, a valve in the said valve chamber and controlled by the saiddiaphragm, and a pneumatic controlled by the said valve andconnected-with the said valve chamber.

2. A pneumaticvalve mechanism for self playing instruments comprising avalve chamber, a suction chamber, a diaphragm chamber having a port inits bottom, a channel below the diaphragm chamber and with which thesaid port opens, said channel havin one end extending up and openin intot e suction chamber and its other en in connection with a tracker board,a diaphragm between the suction and diaphragm chambers, said vdiaphragmextending over the channel and having a minute openin therein, a jvalvein the vvalve chamber an and a pneumatic control ed by the va 3. Apneumatic valve mechanism for self playing kmusical instruments,comprising a valve chest having a suction chamber, a diaphragm chamberhavin bottom, a channel into whic opens the said the diaphragm,

a port in itsv ort said channel havin a minute connection with the suetion chamber a diaphr between the said suction chamber and the saiddiaphragm chamber, a pneumatic a valve cl1amber provided with valveseats and having connection with the pneumatic and by one'valve seatwith the atmosphere, and by the other valve seat with the said suctionchamber, and a self closing double valve having spherical faces andnormally seated on the said seat`.co nnectin g suction chamber with thesaid va ve chamber, the stem of the said double valve being seated onthe said diaphragm for the latter to actuate the valve to close thevalve seat to the atmosphere and to connect the suction chamber with thesaid valve chamber.

4. A pneumatic valvey mechanism, comprising a valve chest made in topand bottom sections hin ed together, the valve chest being provi ed witha locking plate secured to the free ends of the said sections to lockthe same together, `a suction chamber formed in the bottom section andclosed by the top section, a dia hragm chamber in the said c the bottomchamber )elow the suction chamber andI having connection with a trackerboard by way of the said locking plate, a diaphragm between the saidsuction chamber and the said diaphragm chamber,

a valve chamber in the said top section and having a ,channel extendingthrough both sections, a neumatic having its fixed meml n-testimonywhereof we have signed our n ber secure to the underside -of the saidnames to this yspecification in the lpresence 10 bottom section, thesaid channel openingl i of two subsciibm Witnesses. into the saidpneumatic by way of its fixed 1 rHEODORE VRANA. 5 member, and ar valvein the said valve f BRETISLAV SCHIBA.

chamber and controlling `a ort to the atmos- Witnesses: phere and a portleading ln'to the said sucl THEO. G. HOSTER,

tion chamber. i EVERARD B. MARSHALL.

